Method of tracking specific cells in vivo

Abstract

A method of tracking specific cells in vivo is disclosed. The method of the disclosure includes: providing fluorescent nanoparticles suitable for targeting of specific cells; administering the fluorescent nanoparticles to a subject; providing an X-ray source to irradiate the subject; and determining the distribution and growth of the specific cells by the fluorescent images from the fluorescent nanoparticles and X-ray images of the subject irradiated by the X-ray source.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of tracking specific cells in vivo, comprising:
 providing a plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles suitable for targeting specific cells; 
 administering the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles to a subject, wherein the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles comprises Gd 2 O 3 , Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , Y 2 SiO 5 , ZnO, BaMgAl 14 O 23 , Ti 2 O 3 , Zn 2 SiO 2 , Cn 2 SiO 4 , BaSiO 4 , or (Y,Gd)BO 3 ; 
 providing an X-ray source to irradiate the subject, wherein an X-ray image of the subject irradiated by the X-ray source is produced and the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles are also stimulated by the X-ray source to emit fluorescence; and 
 determining the growth and distribution of the specific cells by the fluorescence emitted by the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles in the subject irradiated by the X-ray source and observing the growth and distribution of a capillary in vivo by the X-ray image of the subject irradiated by the X-ray source, wherein in the X-ray image of the subject irradiated by the X-ray source, the distribution of the capillary is revealed by the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluorescent nanoparticles have a diameter between about 1 nm and 100 μm. 
     
     
       3. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the X-ray source comprises a synchrotron radiation X-ray source, a medical X-ray source, or a laboratory X-ray source. 
     
     
       4. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a photon energy of the X-ray source is between about 4 keV and 20 MeV. 
     
     
       5. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the absorbed dose of the X-ray source in the subject is less than about 100 Gy. 
     
     
       6. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the absorbed dose of the X-ray in the subject is between about 1 Gy and 30 Gy. 
     
     
       7. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation time of the X-ray source to the subject is less than about 30 minutes. 
     
     
       8. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation time of the X-ray to the subject is between about 100 milliseconds and 5 minutes. 
     
     
       9. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the subject comprises humans, mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, or other appropriate multicellular animals. 
     
     
       10. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the specific cells comprise tumor cells, stem cells, blood cells, tissue cells, or other appropriate somatic cells. 
     
     
       11. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the X-ray image comprises vascular development or cell targeting. 
     
     
       12. The method of tracking specific cells in vivo as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the effective penetration depth of the subject irradiated by the X-ray source is about 30 cm from the surface to the deep tissue.